Why Do Authorities Not Crackdown on Korea’s Red Light Districts?
The former police officer interviewed for the article believes budgetary constraints are stopping a crackdown on prostitution in South Korea; I think it is more like a lack of will of wanting to crackdown hard on it:
Prostitution is illegal in Korea. The country’s ban on the sex trade was introduced in March 2004 and went into effect later that year.
Korea Times
Despite nearly two decades of law enforcement, the nation still has brothels and red-light districts operating at night in almost all big cities and provinces, albeit at a somewhat diminished scale.
Before the introduction of the Special Law on Sex Trade in 2004, there were 35 red-light districts nationwide, according to figures compiled by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family. The number declined to 15 in 2021. Gyeonggi Province has four, Seoul, Busan and other provincial cities have at least one or two each. About 900 women are involved in prostitution for a living in those areas, according to ministry data, although a far larger number of people are believed to be part of that profession in other parts of the country that operate under the radar of law enforcement.
Kim Kang-ja, a retired police officer best known for her role behind the crackdown of a major red-light district in Seoul when she was head of Jongam Police Station in the early 2000s, said the remaining red-light districts are a chilling reminder of a policy failure driven by budgetary constraints.
You can read more at the link.
No different than any other political position. It’s useful to stir up strong emotions in election seasons.
And as long as they keep the money coming in to the right officials, nobody sees a thing.
Look into Officer Kim she is probably in control some of the largest brothels and room salons in Seoul. Hell, every glass window area has a police ‘station’ box at the beginning of the alley (so I’ve been told).
Thats how it is directly outside the Pyeongtaek AK plaza train station. It almost gives it a sense that it must be legal since the police station is literally a stones throw from the glass window area. It probably makes it a safer work environment for the sex workers though.
The government is not my Love Sock.
Government getting involved with women’s employment choices is what encourages pimps and organized crime and protection rackets and corrupt law enforcement.
Perhaps let women do what they want to do while putting effort into investigating human trafficking and supplying fit-for-purpose women’s healthcare would be a better policy…
…removing any legal peril for women just trying to make it, reducing organized crime, allowing women to make choices they already make, keeping sailors and taxi drivers content… etc.
Government has a place.
But it isn’t holding my dìck.